17 Blowing Open The Gate

Two days later, Pavitra was standing just out of range of the for and staring at it intensely. It seemed like she was imagining how something would good. The fire mages and soilers behind her all knew that she was thinking about how they all would blow the gate open. Then she looked behind up at the sun, which was now beginning to set. It would be behind them as they attacked now.

Then she let out a small breathe.

"Are you all ready? You all remember the plan?"

In response, she just got a stamp of feet. Then she looked back towards the fort and slowly drew out her sword. Behind her, the soldiers all did a similar thing. The mages who were there, just looked around a little and began to still there breathing, trying to focus.

Then they all moved forwards. Soldiers with shields took the front with Pavitra and the fire mages right behind them, there were also some other soldiers as well. Very quickly this small band of about thirty people was noticed by the rebels.

A yell went up inside the fort itself, and archers could be seen on the walls, aiming at the attacking force. Then they let loose!

Whoosh!

The arrows hurtled towards them.

Thud! Thud! Thwack! Most of the arrows landed nowhere near them and plunged into the ground. A lucky few hit the shield but no one was hurt from that first volley.

Pavitra yelled out, "Come on! We are halfway! We can do this!" Her motivation was more the mages than the soldiers. The mages didn't react though, just speeding up a little allowing the soldiers to move a bit quicker. Soon enough the next volley arrived. The arrows whizzed past their heads and landed on the ground behind them, no one has hurt again!

The sun in the archer's eyes was affecting their aim and allowing the attacking party to get closer without taking any damage at all. Then just as they were on the last few metres another volley came raining down. This time though one of the mages behind Pavitra screamed out in pain as one of the arrows had punctured his foot, pinning him to the floor.

Pavitra looked back feeling terrible but they could not stop running. If they did there was a higher chance of them being hit, they will have to get him once they are on the way back. Then another volley came flying out. They all prepared for the worst, but nothing happened, not one arrow even came near them. As Pavitra looked back she saw where the volley had gone.

It had been sent for the already wounded mage, he had loads of arrows pierced into him and even more landed on the ground around him. It was like a circle of arrows.

She noticed that a few of the mages had looked back as well, seeing this sight they had slowed a lot, making them easier targets as the soldiers were beginning to slowly get away.

She yelled at them, "Hurry up and move. Or you will end up like him which is not what we want, we want you all to survive! Now move!"

Her words, got them to sprint ahead and soon they had caught up to the soldiers, then they started to get too close and began to overtake the soldiers!

It was at this point that they finally were close and the soldiers began to form a shield wall right in front of the gate. The mages all ducked down behind it, with Pavitra bringing up the rear.

She looked at all of the mages, before nodding at them all. Then they all began to mutter incarnations willing the fire mana to form into the spell circles that they needed. In front of the shield wall, the spell began to slowly form up. It had multiple different layers and looked a bit like artwork. But the fire red lines of mana began to scare the rebels inside of the fort. Then the last part was added and then.

Kaboom!

The spell activated causing a massive explosion right on to the gate. As the smoke cleared, the gate was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a massive whole with the stones around the gateway being singed black from the heat and the flames. Seeing that their work was done, Pavotra gave the order. "Everyone falls back to the camp, lets get out of here!"

Going back was much slower. The soldiers couldn't just turn and run as that would open them up to volleys from the archers. So instead they had to walk backwards so that they could their shields facing upwards towards the fort.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Thwack!

Volley after volley of arrows came running down. So far none had hit anyone, one of the soldiers had a bleeding cheek though where his face was grazed by an arrow as it flew past.

As they were about halfway back, Pavitra saw a ballista or at least she thought that she saw one. It caused her chest to tighten. They wouldn't be able to block that if it hit them.

Looking around she saw where they were and then made a decision. "Everyone, run to the camp!"

The soldiers obeyed her words instantly, the discipline and training showing their uses, The mages took a few seconds longer and were caught closest to the fort as the soldiers had overtaken them. The next volley which came raining down took two of their lives instantly.

Pavitra herself though was running but not at the font, instead, she was turning around constantly so that she could an eye on the fort and that when the ballista bolt came raining in, she get most of the people out of the way.

Bang!

Time seemed to slow, as she watched the large bolt fly out of ballista and sail through the sky towards them. Quickly she had worked ut the direction that it was flying in. Her eyes followed where it would go and for now, at least, it wouldn't land near anyone at all.

Quickly it reached the ground and ploughed through the dirt. Making a trench on where it had landed, the damage to the ground was intense. Pavitra couldn't help but imagine the scene of what would have happened if it had landed among them all.

Then they were back, out of range of the fort. The last arrows that had been released landed behind them, marking the maximum range of the archers. The ballista probably had a bit longer of a range but they had neglected to use that yet and instead stopped firing.

After making sure the wounded soldier would get some medical attention, she left the attack group and headed further into the camp towards the command tent. All in all the mission had been a success. Now they just had to wait for the ladders to be made fully. Some would ask why not attack them when they had blown open the gate.

Yes, they would have had the element of surprise and yes, it could have gone well at first. But with only one breach point. If that was taken, they would be cut off and would slowly get tried and be killed, not only that it would limit the number of soldiers who could get into the fort and at what speed.

All in all, more breach points were better, as to why attack the gate now. It was simple. She was bored of just standing around and doing nothing. A bad trait in a commander, yet this is who she was all of the same.

She quickly reached the command tent and she entered. The bored faces of everyone greeted her. In truth last night they had all argued who would be the one who would lead the assault. They all wanted some kind of action and yet, Pavitra feeling bored. Overruled them all and lead the assault as well as that she was the highest-ranked fire mage anyway. Even if the traditional casting wasn't her forte, she could still do it well.

Seeing her the others all looked a little more alive. She just said, "It was a success. There is a whole in their defences."

The others all smiled a bit before sitting back down. Then the adventure leader spoke again. "I was just thinking, but the other side of the river. What if they get reinforcements from that side." His words caused a few creases to appear on the faces of some people in the room. Pavitra did not react though.

"If there is, we will just kill them too. Do not forget who we are. Every dead rebel is a better chance for the crown to thrive. If anything let them come. We will just kill them all."

Her cold and ruthless words sent shivers down the backs of everyone in the room. They all then remembered. There was a rumour about the Princess. It is that she was two people. In the palace, she is timid and kind and caring. On the battlefield, she is a goddess of war and slaughter.

It seemed like that rumour was true.

Why she was like that, only she knew though.